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Current Issue: November '99: |
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Message from the Editor
Dear Readers,
The past month was really busy. If you attended all the events, you would be really tired, like I am!! Apart from the Arab Communities Conference, there was the GUPS AGM, held t the University of Westminster, the play “Divided Hearts”, Wednesday meetings, MAP dinner, AWA dinner, and many others. I hope they were all successful. The Club had its elections, and I am happy to say that I am on the committee this time again!! There is a Lobby day held for the refugees of Palestine, and a couple of Lebanese parties to keep you busy this month. We will keep you posted for more details.
Reem
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News
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Job, jobs, jobs.......
Thank you to all who have sent in their CV’s. A maximum of two CVs will be printed on the monthly hard-copy of the Urwat and they will appear ion the order they are received. However, an online database with all the CVs received will be available at this site soon.
Please send in more CV’s or a brief description, so that I may be able to write it in, to boty4life@aol.com or to the secretariat at the address on the front page.
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CV: Dr Saad KAYALI
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| Name: | Dr Saad KAYALI |
| Contact: | kayali7@sc2a.unige.ch
kayali_s@email.com
http://www.unige.ch/LABPV/members/kayali.html |
| Born: | 01.01.54, Aleppo , Syria
currently resident in Geneva. |
| Objectives: | to obtain a responsible position where his experience, accomplishments and proficiency will allow him the opportunity for growth in a professional environment. |
| Education: | Doctorat ès Science (PhD) in biology; Masters in Agricultural Engineering; Certificate on Chronobiology and its application in plants; Diploma on Human Ecology; International Certificate on Environment; Certificate in Photobiology.
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| Experience: | Agricultural; Biological; and Environmental work.
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| Skills: | High sense of responsibility, ability to plan, develop, organise, implement and supervise complex programs and special projects, maturity of judgement and negotiating skills.
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| Languages: | English, French and Arabic; Italian (good comprehension)
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| Current Status | Assistant professor at the Faculty of Science Dept of Botany and Plant Biology, University of Geneva, Switzerland. |
Mr Kayali was been awarded the Ministry of High Education Scholarship Award for the PhD. He has several Professional Memberships and Affiliations, and has published his work since 1990.
Please contact all individuals directly with any quesitons or queries.
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Review of Events
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Arab Communities Conference
The third Arab Communities Conference was held on Saturday16th and Sunday 17th of October 1999 at the University of Westminster, Regent Street.
After the registration, the Art Exhibition inaugurated by Mr. Antoine Raad. The artists, Mr. Abdo Nagi; Mr. Hani Mudher; and Mr. Othman Wakialla, displayed their works in the Regent Street foyer.
The opening session was addressed by Mr. Dia Al-Falaki, Mr. Essa Al-Gurg (Doyen of Arab Ambassadors in London), Mr. Ghaith Armanazi (Head of the Arab League Mission in London), Mrs. Ibtisam Auchi (President of the Arab Club of Britain), Mr. Abdul Karim Al-Mudares (General Secretary of the Arab British Chamber of Commerce), and Mr. Cyril Townsend (Director of CAABU). They were all pleased the conference was being held, and eager to get it under way.
The discussions focused around the integration of the Arabs in Britain, and how to make it easier. There were four discussion groups. The first was based on the Cultural Identity of British Arabs: Dual Heritage, Obstacles of Integration, Language and Cultural Identity were some of the topics covered here. The second group was based on the Economic Conditions of the Arab Communities in Britain. The third group focused on Participation in British Political Life: Getting Involved in British Political Life, The Significance of the Arab Students Movement, Political Lobbies, and How to Gain Influence and Achieve Political Power in Britain.
The forth group discussed Organising the Arab Communities and Financing their Programmes: The Future of the Arab Communities, The Make-up and Programmes of the Arab Communities, and The Resource and Conditions for Financing the Arab Communities of Britain.
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The first day ended delightfully with a music recital on the lute by Ahmed Mukhtar and Omar Munir Bashir. The ambience was magnificent, and the music fantastic. If you went, you would have left with a feeling of tingling exhilaration.
The second day held conclusions, recommendations and final remarks for the discussion groups. The day was concluded at the Commonwealth Institute where Nabil Sawalha was presenting “Divided hearts”.
It was a great opportunity to meet with other fellow Arabs to discuss issues that affect us in Britain. There was a good turnout, but there need to be more Arab youth involved to enable them (or us) to integrate with the Arab-British way of life.
Theatre
Nabil Sawalha wrote and produced a play called “Divided Hearts”. It was directed by Nadim Sawalha. The play was written and acted out in English and tackled the problems Middle Eastern families face when living in the West.
We are looking for individuals who attended a performance of the play to submit a brief reveiw to be posted in the Urwat.
Please submit reveiws via email.
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Events
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Lebanese Millennium Party
“The Lebanese Millennium Party” presented by ‘The Lebanese Graduates of Britain’ and ‘Mathus Productions’ - Friday 12th November ’99. Funky Rhythms and other surprises await your presence.
Time: 9:30 p.m. - 3:30 a.m.
Venue: The Roof Gardens, 99 Kensington High Street, London W8, entrance via Derry Street.
Tickets: £35 (includes finger buffet till 11 p.m. and 2 complimentary drinks)
For more information, please contact LGB: 07788 17 49 49 or Mathus: 0411 062 308, mathus@email.com
Imperial College Lebanese Party
Friday 19th November '99. All welcome to the 16th Anniversary. Don’t miss our belly dancer, Lebanese food and great music.
Tickets:£10 (non-dinner in advance); £12 (non-dinner at the door); £15 (with dinner)
For tickets and reservations call: 0171 386 0807, iclebsoc@yahoo.com
Najwa Karam & Wael Kfouri Concert
together for the first time at The Royal Albert Hall
Date: Boxing Day, 26th December.
For more information call: 0207 386 7410 or 0956 222 367.
Layla Ramadhaniya Concert
Venue: Cambridge Theatre
Date: Sunday 19th December '99
For more information & tickets please call 0181 930 3030.
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Lobby Day
The Joint Committee for Palestine has set a day in Parliament to lobby for the return of the Palestinian Refugees to their homeland. The date is Wednesday the 24th of November '99 (3:00 - 7:00 p.m.). The lobby will take place at the House of Commons (closest tube: Westminster). It will provide a unique opportunity for concerned individuals to convey their views on this issue to their elected representatives. There will be a series of speakers during the afternoon in the Grand Committee Room, including first hand accounts of 3 Palestinian refugees. at 7 p.m., Dr. Salman Abu Sitta, a distinguished academic and expert on the refugee issue, will give a presentation. For further details, contact the JCP c/o Chris Doyle 0171 373 8414 e-mail: caabu@arab-british.u-net.com.
Wednesday Meetings
The youth committee would like to thank all those who attended the Wednesday meetings, and apologise to those of you who attended and did not find us. This was due to the large number of people who attended. We had to move on to another place where there is availability in seating. We moved back to Henry’s in High Street Kensington. So, from now on, the Wednesday Meetings will be held at Henry’s. All are welcome: all nationalities. This is an informal gathering, where the Arab youth meet to talk about issues that affect us, or just for a relaxed and casual chat. Meetings every first and third Wednesday from 7:30 p.m. onwards. Hope to see you there.
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Articles
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Racism and Discrimination
Have you ever wondered how we live in this country? There is always the factor of racism and discrimination: if you are too white, too dark, have an accent, have a weight problem or even merely by your clothes. People here try to be welcoming, but how many times have you heard the phrase: get out of here, you foreigners?
The Oxford dictionary states that racism is a belief in the superiority of a particular race, prejudice based on this. Antagonism based on this especially as a result of this. A theory that human ability etc are determined by race. Discrimination is to make or to see a distinction, to differentiate, make a distinction especially unjustly and on the basis of race, colour or sex.
I have been brought up in this country, and even though I know my homeland is the Arab world, I feel “at home” here. I grew up here, and my family and friends are here. London is a beautiful place, if you know where to go. But being tormented by racism and bullying makes it the worst place on Earth.
You would think that bullying only occurs when you are at school. You are wrong. It could start there. It would reduce your self-confidence and allows others to continue the bullying. When you are down, people become aware of it, and start to abuse it. You get kicked more when you are down!!
The other day, I encountered a young lady with a speech impediment. She is a fellow Arab, and the discrimination (or racism) came from other fellow Arabs. She had difficulty in pronouncing certain letters, and she was stuttering often. A gentleman, or almost a man, came and started making fun of her. You could tell she was deeply hurt, but did not say anything. She had been the victim of this kind of racism all her life and mentioned that she is used to it. How do you become used to people making fun of you? If I know someone would laugh at me for any reason, that would bring my spirits down, making me unable to do anything. I would be very self-conscious.
Have you thought about the kind of person who would be so insensitive as to be racist? What is going on in their head? If the tables were turned, I am sure they would not find it funny or amusing. Maybe they were discriminated against before and have a low self-esteem, and they think that that is the only way to deal with people to protect themselves from others treating them badly. I can not give them excuses because it causes so much misery and heartache.
Wouldn’t life be more pleasant if we were to live happily with each other? Some people have different views: socially, politically or religiously. That does not mean that we have to force our opinion on them; either they listen to us, or we make their life hell.
All I have to say is, maybe we should put ourselves in the victim’s place for a change. I am sure we would not like being discriminated against. Whatever race we are from, whatever religion we are and however we look does not change us as a person, and all people have feelings that need to be put into consideration.
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